Drag bucket reenforcing structure



Get. 2, 1934 5. L. ST. LOUIS 1,975,525

DRAG BUCKET REENFORCING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 50, 1953 ffi/ven/Zor fly hils'Ai iomys WWW YW/M Patented Got. 2, 1934 FFE ATENT DRAG BUCKET REENFORCING STRUCTURE and hood of the drag buckets to correct the ob-' ectionable features above referred to, but such reenforcing in all instances known to applicant added materially to the weight of the bucket, thereby requiring greater and more expensive sources of power for handling and dragging the same, as well as substantially increased the cost of the bucket itself.

t is an object of my invention-to provide simple, comparatively inexpensive and very light reenforcing means for the hood and sides of adrag bucket which will effectively prevent the inward deflection of the sides and walls in ordinary use, \vhich niay be quickly and easily applied to the standard buckets now utilized and which will not obstruct or interfere with the eflicient operation of the bucket.

More specifically it is an ob'ect of my invention to provide a highly efiicient truss construction, specifically associated with and cooperating with the side walls and the hood of conventional types of drag buckets and effective to prevent defiection and distortion of the walls and body from encountering obstructions in the dragging of the bucket, as well as from the falling of the bucket while in operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the ac.- coinpanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a conventional type of drag bucket having at the bottom thereof my improved reenforcing structure operatively applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the loading chains and dump rope oi the bucket removed;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View showing one of the strut plates of my reenforcing structure detached and l is a detail perspective View showing one of the strut anchoring elements detached.

Asshown, my improvement is applied to a drag bucket of the conventional type having the usual side walls A, bottom B, cutting edge C and teeth D. The hood E spans the top of the bucket and is of conventional light-weight type (unreenforced). The spreader bar F at the rear of the hood is illustrated as well as the dump sheave G, dump rope H, pulling bar socket I and loading chains J, the latter of which are connected at their rear ends to the heavy hitch plates K. It will be'noted that the hitch plates K have attachment portions which straddle the forward edge of the hood and are strongly secured to the hood by rivets or other suitable means.

My reenforcing structure is in the form of a truss closely cooperating with the construction of the hood and side walls of the bucket. To this end a heavy rod 5 extends on each side of the bucket secured at its lower end to an anchoring plate 6 which is bolted to one of the hitch plates K and to the forward portion of one of the sides of the bucket. The two rods 5 disposed on opposite sides of the bucket are hingedly connected at their upper ends to rods '7 which extend in spaced relation to the top portion of the hood E and which rods have their inner or upper ends connected together by a suitable turn buckle 8 having threaded engagement therewith. My hinge connections 9 between rods 5 and 7 are of any suitable strong construction and may coniprise forks integrally formed at one end of the rods 7 between which flatted portions eyes of the rods 5 are pivoted. A series of special strut plates 10 are interposed between the connected rods and the hood and sides of the bucket. As

shown, these strut plates are of triangular shape and may be of wedge shape in cross section to provide widened edge sockets 1041 at their outer ends for receiving the rods. The opposite ends of struts 10 have relatively long narrow edges which are confined for limited rocking move ment in recessed anchor plates 11 which are fixed to the hood E extending longitudinally of the direction of movement of the bucket. A suitable anchoring plate is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

The location of the struts 1G with reference to the hood and sides of the bucket and with reference to the anchored ends of the rods 5 is important. It will be noted that on each side of the bucket one of the struts 10 is projected substantially horizontally from the hood just before it is turned to form the top portion thereof. On each side of the hood a second strut 10 is positioned just above the turn of the hood forming the top and in closely spaced relation to'the first mentioned strut. Ihe hinged joint 9 is disposed between the above referred to struts and the rods 5 and 7 are bent adjacent their joined ends to nicely conform to the required shape. A third strut on each side of the hood is disposed adjacent the vertical center of the hood and said struts are spaced fairly closely together and the turn buckle 8 is disposed therebetween. H

From the foregoing description: it will be apparent that I have provided a simple, efficient and light reenforcing structure for drag buckets which will eliminate deflection and bending of the sides of the bucket under the usual strains to which it is subjected. The stress upon the reenforcing mechanism is equalized through the efficient connection of the two series of rods 5 and 7 and the association of these joined rods with the struts i0 is most advantageous. An inward: strain on either of the side walls of the bucket such as is received when the bucket drops from some height is received and equalized by the reenforcing structure and unless of such power as to break the connecting rods, cannot result in the'bending or deflection of either of the sides or in the distortion of the hood. I

In dragging the bucket through th soil, the hitch plates 1 have a tendency to deflect the walls of the bucket inwardly. This is true of practically all drag buckets. Inward deflection, ii permitted results in a pressure upon both corners of the cutting edge C, which cutting edge is fastened to the bottom and partly to the side Walls of the bucket. With buckets now on the market this pressure caused from inward deflection breaks the corners and ends of the cutting edge and bends the cutting edge downward y, rendering it ineffective for operation. With my structure the tendency of the hitch plates K to deflect inwardly is entirely overcome and pressure on the ends and corners of the cutting edge is thus obviated.

It further will be noted that in the dragging of the bucket through material to be excavated, my neenforcing str cture furnishes no substantial obstruction, since the elements are relatively thin since the struts are spaced apart some distance. The weight of the bucket is not material- 1y increased as is the case with most reenforcing structures which have been utilized prior to this time. No increase in the power is therefore necessary with my improved construction.

The direct effect of the truss construction upon the sides of the bucket connected with the lower ends of rod 5, when arriinward strain isjmposed upon the walls, is an upward and outward force. The strain from this force, however, is distributed throughout the six struts and to adu aintageous points of the hood construction and is. moreover distributed to the connection in the lower end of the opposite rod with the heavy anchoring plate 6.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in theiorm, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:--

1. In drag bucket construction, a bucket having an open front for receiving material and having the usual upstanding side walls connected by an arched hood, reenforcing structure to prevent inward deflection of said side walls comprising a truss extending substantially parallel and in spaced relation to the hood and the upper portions oi said side walls, strut plates interposed at spaced pointsbetween' said truss and said hood, connections between the ends of said truss and intermediate points on the side walls of said bucket and adjustable means for contracting the length of said truss.

2. In drag bucket construction, a bucket having,

an open. front for receiving material and having the usual upstanding side walls connected by arched hood, reenforcing structure to prevent inward deflection of said side walls comprising a truss extending in spaced relation to the hood and the upper portions of said side walls, a series of strut plates interposed at spaced points between said truss and said hood, said strut plates having thrust connection with said hood permissive of limited swinging movement of aid plates, and connecting between the ends of said truss and intermediate points on the side walls of said bucket.

3. In a drag bucket having the usual upstanding side walls connected by an arched hood and having heavy hitch plates secured to intermediate portions adjacent the front edges of said side walls, reenforcing structure to prevent inward deflection of said side walls comprising a truss extending in spaced relation tosaid hood and having its lower ends connectedrespectively to said heavy hitch plates, a series of strut plates interposed at spaced points between said truss and said hood and means for retaining the inner ends of said strut plates against displacement.

4. In a drag bucket having the usual upstanding side walls connected by an arched hood, re-

enforcing structure to prevent inward deflection of said walls comprising a truss extending substantially. parallel and in spaced relation to the hood and secured at its lower ends respectively to intermediate points on said side walls, said truss comprising upwardly extending rod sections terminating a short distance above the upper portions of said side walls, and a second pair of rods extending inwardly toward the middle of the top of said hood and being hingedly connected to the upper'ends of said first mentioned pair, struts interposed at spaced points between said trussand said hood and a turn buckle connecting the inner ends of said second pair of rods.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 wherein a pair of said struts are disposed on opposite sides of each hinge connection and wherein a pair of said struts are disposed adjacent of and outwardly of opposite ends of said turn buckle.

GEORGE LEWIS ST. LOUIS. 

